Magnus Carlsen of Norway became the highest rated player in history in the January rating list published by FIDE, the International Chess Federation. His new rating of 2861 eclipsed the previous record of 2851 in 1999 held by the then World Champion, Garry Kasparov.
Carlsen achieved the record in a crushing performance to win the 2012 London Chess Classic in December. But his five wins and three draws from eight games was only just enough to outdistance his main rival, Vladimir Kramnik of Russia, who also had a fine tournament for second place on four wins and four draws. Kramnik, who moved up to second place in the world rankings on 2810 quipped he was number one, if you don't consider Carlsen's play human.
Today's game is Carlsen's fifth win in London, from the sixth round playing White against the strongest ever female player, Judit Polgar of Hungary.
1.c4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 e6 6.a3 Bc5 7.Nb3 Be7 8.e4 0-0 9.Be2 b6 10.0-0 Bb7 11.Bf4 d6 12.Rc1 Rc8 13.Re1 Ne5 14.Nd2 Nfd7 15.Be3 ---
A Symmetrical English Opening has lead to the 'hedgehog' formation, where Black holds her pieces back, intending to meet any attack by White with a prickly counterstrike. A previous game Van Wely – Gashimov went 15 b4 Kh8 16 Bg3 g5! maintaining the outpost on e5 and the game was eventually drawn. Carlsen's move prepares f2-f4 driving back the knight. 15--- Qc7 16.b4 Qb8 17.f4 Ng6 18.g3 Rfe8 19.Bf3 Qa8 20.Bf2 Ngf8 21.Qe2 Qb8 22.Red1 g6?
Black has been driven back by White's expansion, which is normal in this system. However, this move creates permanement dark square weaknesses on the kingside. A patient move like 22... a6 controlling b5 was to be preferred. White immediately exploits the lapse with a central thrust, making room on e4 for his knight to cross to the kingside. 23.e5! Bc6
The pawn is immune: 23... dxe5 24 fxe5 Nxe5? 25 Bxb7 wins a piece. 24.Bd4 Red8 25.Bxc6 Rxc6 26.Nf3 dxe5 27.fxe5 Rdc8 28.Ne4 Qc7 29.Nfd2 a6
Again 29...Nxe5? 30 b5 wins the exchange. 30.Nf2 Bg5?!
Generating threats against c4 – but Carlsen just lets the pawns go and aims at the black king. 31.Rf1! Bxd2 32.Qxd2 Nxe5
Otherwise Black has nothing to show for her dark square weaknesses. Similarly 32...Rxc4 33 Rxc4 Qxc4 34 Ng4 crashing through on f7. 33.Bxe5 Qxe5 34.Ng4 Rd6 35.Nh6+ Kg7 36.Rxf7+ Kh8 37.Qf2 Qd4
Exchanging queens is forced, but White's attack continues unabated. 38.c5 bxc5 39.Qxd4+ Rxd4 40.Rxc5 Rcd8
If 40...Rxc5 then 41 bxc5 Rc4 42 Rxf8+ Kg7 43 Rf4! saves the extra piece. Once White doubles rooks on the seventh rank, the game is virtually decided. Threats to the black king combined with creating a passed pawn on the queenside overwhelm the defence. 41.Rcc7 Rd1+ 42.Kg2 R1d2+ 43.Kh3 R2d5 44.Ng4 Rh5+ 45.Kg2 Rd2+ 46.Kf3 Rf5+ 47.Ke3 Rxf7 48.Rxf7 Rd8 49.Nf6 Rb8 50.Kf4 h6
Else Black gets mated: 50...a5 51 Kg5! axb4 52 Kh6 followed by Rf7-g7-g8. 51.Ke5 a5 52.bxa5 Ra8 53.a6 Resigns
Black can win the first a-pawn but the second will decide. E.g.53...Rxa6 54 Rxf8+ Kg7 55 Rd8 Ra5+ 56 Kxe6 Ra6+ 57 Rd6 Rxd6+ 58 Kxd6 Kxf6 59 a4 etc.
Carlsen breaks Kasparov's record in London
Problem: White to play and mate in 3.
Magnus Carlsen of Norway became the highest rated player in history in the January rating list published by FIDE, the International Chess Federation. His new rating of 2861 eclipsed the previous record of 2851 in 1999 held by the then World Champion, Garry Kasparov.
Carlsen achieved the record in a crushing performance to win the 2012 London Chess Classic in December. But his five wins and three draws from eight games was only just enough to outdistance his main rival, Vladimir Kramnik of Russia, who also had a fine tournament for second place on four wins and four draws. Kramnik, who moved up to second place in the world rankings on 2810 quipped he was number one, if you don't consider Carlsen's play human.
Today's game is Carlsen's fifth win in London, from the sixth round playing White against the strongest ever female player, Judit Polgar of Hungary.
1.c4 c5
2.Nf3 Nc6
3.d4 cxd4
4.Nxd4 Nf6
5.Nc3 e6
6.a3 Bc5
7.Nb3 Be7
8.e4 0-0
9.Be2 b6
10.0-0 Bb7
11.Bf4 d6
12.Rc1 Rc8
13.Re1 Ne5
14.Nd2 Nfd7
15.Be3 ---
A Symmetrical English Opening has lead to the 'hedgehog' formation, where Black holds her pieces back, intending to meet any attack by White with a prickly counterstrike. A previous game Van Wely – Gashimov went 15 b4 Kh8 16 Bg3 g5! maintaining the outpost on e5 and the game was eventually drawn. Carlsen's move prepares f2-f4 driving back the knight.
15--- Qc7
16.b4 Qb8
17.f4 Ng6
18.g3 Rfe8
19.Bf3 Qa8
20.Bf2 Ngf8
21.Qe2 Qb8
22.Red1 g6?
Black has been driven back by White's expansion, which is normal in this system. However, this move creates permanement dark square weaknesses on the kingside. A patient move like 22... a6 controlling b5 was to be preferred. White immediately exploits the lapse with a central thrust, making room on e4 for his knight to cross to the kingside.
23.e5! Bc6
The pawn is immune: 23... dxe5 24 fxe5 Nxe5? 25 Bxb7 wins a piece.
24.Bd4 Red8
25.Bxc6 Rxc6
26.Nf3 dxe5
27.fxe5 Rdc8
28.Ne4 Qc7
29.Nfd2 a6
Again 29...Nxe5? 30 b5 wins the exchange.
30.Nf2 Bg5?!
Generating threats against c4 – but Carlsen just lets the pawns go and aims at the black king.
31.Rf1! Bxd2
32.Qxd2 Nxe5
Otherwise Black has nothing to show for her dark square weaknesses. Similarly 32...Rxc4 33 Rxc4 Qxc4 34 Ng4 crashing through on f7.
33.Bxe5 Qxe5
34.Ng4 Rd6
35.Nh6+ Kg7
36.Rxf7+ Kh8
37.Qf2 Qd4
Exchanging queens is forced, but White's attack continues unabated.
38.c5 bxc5
39.Qxd4+ Rxd4
40.Rxc5 Rcd8
If 40...Rxc5 then 41 bxc5 Rc4 42 Rxf8+ Kg7 43 Rf4! saves the extra piece. Once White doubles rooks on the seventh rank, the game is virtually decided. Threats to the black king combined with creating a passed pawn on the queenside overwhelm the defence.
41.Rcc7 Rd1+
42.Kg2 R1d2+
43.Kh3 R2d5
44.Ng4 Rh5+
45.Kg2 Rd2+
46.Kf3 Rf5+
47.Ke3 Rxf7
48.Rxf7 Rd8
49.Nf6 Rb8
50.Kf4 h6
Else Black gets mated: 50...a5 51 Kg5! axb4 52 Kh6 followed by Rf7-g7-g8.
51.Ke5 a5
52.bxa5 Ra8
53.a6 Resigns
Black can win the first a-pawn but the second will decide. E.g.53...Rxa6 54 Rxf8+ Kg7 55 Rd8 Ra5+ 56 Kxe6 Ra6+ 57 Rd6 Rxd6+ 58 Kxd6 Kxf6 59 a4 etc.
1-0
Solution: 1 Rxg6+! hxg6 (1... Bg7 2 Rxg7+ Kh8 3 Qxh7#) 2 Qxg6+ Bg7 3 Qxg7#.